“Mountains are the beginning and end of all natural scenery”~ John Ruskin.
Well, when you witness the sun rising over the snow-clad peaks, walk through oak and pine forests, breathe in the freshest air possible and gorge on farm-fresh veggies one truly falls in love with life in the mountains. Next up in our ‘In 48-hours…’ series is a soulful stay at an exquisite mountain hideaway. A cup of hot chocolate laden with some marshmallows should be your constant companion on this journey.
Day 1:
1:30 PM: Check-in. After a 3 hour long drive from Dehradun, we reached The Terraces, a boutique spa-resort nestled snugly in a 5-acre plot with enchanting views of the snow-covered peaks of the Himalayas. Simply breathtaking!
2:30 PM: We headed for brunch at the ‘Fire & Stone,’ an indoor restaurant offering great food with that perfect view.
4:30 PM: The rooms are beautifully done up with wooden elements and even have a nice fireplace, just in case you feel those chills as dusk settles. (The temperature averages around 17-19 degrees during the day and goes as low as 5 degrees during the night.)
5:00 PM: Spa-time! Post a power nap, we decided to head to the spa. As you lay on your spa-bed you would notice that it literally offers a 180 degree view of the Himalayan ranges- these gorgeous unending views itself have the power to make you feel totally at ease.
6:00 PM: Post the truly relaxing spa session, we headed to Café Romano, an Italian café. There we choose to set up our table at the outer sitting area – the staff is truly amazing and courteous. As it began to get dark there was a nip in the air and we called for a bottle of wine to gear up for the long evening of lively discussions ahead.
9:00 PM: Time for dinner! We were quite hungry after after all the chit-chat and quickly headed to ‘Fire & Stone’ for some nice barbecue dishes and palate-pleasing desserts.
Day 2:
8:00 AM: *beep, beep, beep*. Good morning! Woke up to the beautiful views of the Himalayas from our room. The fresh morning air was filled with the chirruping of birds. Are we still dreaming? Truly feels like heaven to be enveloped in the lap of nature especially when one comes from a concrete jungle.
8:30 AM: We decided to quickly head for some yoga practice at the fitness center. With stellar views, the yoga center helps guests completely unwind and leave behind the din and bustle of monotonous city life.
10:00 AM: We decided to have our breakfast at ‘Terraces Café’- a multi-cuisine open air restaurant with mouth-watering delicacies which come with a side of unending views. We wouldn’t have managed to finish our meal if not for the other exciting activities that were lined-up for the day.
11:30 AM: Surrounded by mountains primarily, The Terraces, surely did manage to impress us with the vast array of activities one can participate in. We started with rock-climbing. We got such good instructors who showed us exactly how to grasp the stones jutting from the mountain edge and make our way up the slope. Although it was a long way up, we still managed to complete the climb. Super chuffed! Woohoo!
1:00 PM: We took a quick break for some mid-day snacking ( the hotel had packed it up for us and we loved the little indulgence!)
2:00 PM: Headed for a jeep safari to the nearby Kaudia forest. The gorgeous property is surrounded by of oak, rhondendron and pine trees which gives it a lush green cover.
3:30 PM: Lunch time! We were quite famished after the trail through the forest. The naturalist who accompanied us for our safari was happy to suggest ‘Satyun’, a perfect place nearby with a running stream for a picnic lunch. Bon appetit!
4:30 PM: Once we got done with lunch, the naturalist at the property took us for a trail through the forest accompanied by other guests who were equally excited. He showed us all the various kinds of pine trees and those small shrubs which grows only the hills.
7:00 PM: It was nearly night-fall by the time we reached the property. We then spent the rest of the evening at the open-air restaurant marveling at the clear skies of Uttarakhand- a rare sight which you can only see amidst un-polluted air in the mountains.
9:00 PM: A quick dinner at the Café Romano, comprising of their signature dish- the wood clay base pizza; left us satiated.
Day 3:
7:00 AM: Good morning! Waking up to the scintillating views of Himalayas is truly mesmerizing. Best time to head for a mountain hike.
9:00 AM: Post the 2 hour trek, we finally managed to reach the top of the mountain to witness such jaw-dropping views. That climb surely helped us work up a good appetite for breakfast.
11:00 AM: We somehow managed to return back to the property since it was almost time for us to leave. Soaking in those views of the cotton clouds, snow-covered peaks and distant valleys from this bench one last time.
12:00 PM: Time for us to bid adieu to this truly exceptional mountain hideaway nestled snugly in the small village of Kanatal. Sure to come back here again.
PlushEscapes Editor
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